Great team landieman, best in years. This team reminds me a lot of M63 (Marion 63) 10 years ago. Everyone in this team should return home richer in many ways.

I have edited my previous post..pok I should not rush it when I do get a connection here. It did not even make sense and appeared to be a real pui post 😂 but nope....it is me and the touch screen and no spell check. Glad that tappa talk opens up again. On the computer I only get the top part with ads (heading) and nothing more.

Did get a big (huge) sub Antarctic fur seal tooth and sorted the clinic for the dental procedure. I did a course at Simonstown called dental emergencies some years ago for the islands but since I did not work much on teeth I need some practice before I do that filling. We do have everything here though, except for various shades of white composite but hey this is after all a remote site 😅

The Administrater of Tristan da Cuna told us today on the phone that the ship should be here on Saturday so maybe we can get our parcels on Sunday or Monday weather permitting.

The fieldworkers are all out on Goneydale and tomorrow Santjie will hike up to go assist with their counts. Then they have 2 teams of 2 and can cover more ground since they need to count everything (birds) for the next few days around the island. Also Northen side. I am burning to go out as well but there is just too much maintenance and other work and then when I got a change it was miserable weather or standby when the birders are doing work on the ropes (absailing and sagina eradication)

Looks like I may get a change coming Thursday with a possible sleepover on the return but lets see. So far it looks like a good weather window. I will keep the camera batteries charged!

The fieldworkers are all out on Goneydale and tomorrow Santjie will hike up to go assist with their counts. Then they have 2 teams of 2 and can cover more ground since they need to count everything (birds) for the next few days around the island. Also Northen side. I am burning to go out as well but there is just too much maintenance and other work and then when I got a change it was miserable weather or standby when the birders are doing work on the ropes (absailing and sagina eradication)

Looks like I may get a change coming Thursday with a possible sleepover on the return but lets see. So far it looks like a good weather window. I will keep the camera batteries charged!

Yes I did do a double check on the spelling. Dont want to get egg in the face since some of my posts realy seemed dodgy in the past and I must admit that there was the occational pui . The allien plant by name sagina is a real pest and ongoing eradication at a huge cost for over 10 years. The danger of this plant spreading and destroying natural habitat like we have seen on Marion Island is real. Yes the rules are sometime a pain but rules does not hurt when it comes down to preservation of these great places known as "Mountains in the sea'.

However I must admit that I make the lifestyle sound much more hectic than it really is. We have a lot or more than enough free time but I do not get a clean break for a long hike and sleep over in the mountains and that is why I am wining about . My life is or may be fairly much empty without mountains...the sea is a big bonus and throw in birds and I am really happy!

The dental procedure is hapening tonight after dinner. I was not completely happy with my skills and had to practise some more. Dentists are very arty people, you need to be able to work really presice because you have to reduce a very limited amount when cleaning and preparing the cavity and then shape the tooth. Checking the bite is also very important. So yes I am stressed out big time and Zach is of course my assistant and we already had a dry drill to practise. Santjie is in the mountains with the birders till Saturday so we are only half a team for a few days down here.I will try to upload a pic of the dental setup now but if It does not want to load I'll proceed with only the text. Regards!

Relieved, it went well and our team member is happy with the result. No more pain and sensitivity. I hope it did bond well but time will tell. Although we only have one shade of composite (A2) it turned out to be a perfect match. When I studied (recap) they said after edging the tooth for 15 minutes it should look frosted and if not to redo. On the seal tooth that never happened but on the patient tooth it did. Give me the idea thay the seal tooth may be harder...cant tell. Now I can focus on something else and plan ahead on a photographic trip of sort.

Also need to go to the brown store soon and start building a rope ladder because the Tristan administrator wants to visit on another run. What we understand is that the fisherman will come to get their quota and go back to Nightingale/Tristan and load the Edinburgh and then come back straight from Tristan. Then the admin and environmental director will come back for a short visit on the island. Looking very much forward to the goodies though!!

Thanks Ri. The rope ladder is quite simple in design but I will need to take picture when I get to build it.First of all I need to work out how many wooden spars to cut to make up a 12meter ladder and then I need to cut the wood. We only have wide long planks but luckly we have an electrical circular saw to make the job easy. Then drill in 4 x holes just thick enough for the rope to be threaded through and then I need to google the correct knot to make which does not slip and will support every spar. The most difficult will be to make the 4 knots every time on the same distance to ensure even distance between spars and all 4 knots need to work evenly when under load. Pity Woody1 is not here to help and Zach is on nightshift. I could do eith help on this one but our technical guys are sweating currently with the refrigeration plant and a list of other things. It is no secret, this base is old and wheaterd and maintenance will never stop. At least no pressure in making a ladder and HSE on the islsnds (touch wood) is still not strict becsuse a ladder like this come certified. The ladder I need to build is basically the same they use on ships down here to board from ship to power boat or visa versa.

I hope the Captain packed your boxes away carefully, I'm really getting worried about my waterproofing abilities. Most of the stuff will be fine, I know

Hello Ri! Yes the rope is brand new which I got from the captain and been hiding it in my cupboard because good rope has got a bad habit of growing feet and running away!

Do not worry about the water proofing too much, last time around only one parcell got submerged under the water for a few seconds but all was good. The box was lined on the inside with plastic bag so it was ok.

I was planning now in leaving on Thursday morning for the Glen solo hike. I just need to do it because I want other people to have a plotted route and not get lost in future, something good to leave behind. Also need to take lots of pics because last time was just too hectic and although an epic trip it was not really well recorded with good pics. This time around I can only take one camera lens and have decided on the 10/20 Wide Angle Sigma that Xpat also gave me. I love that lens, and although the Tamron 18/50 is a better general purpose lens I feel I can do more with the Wide angle on a trip like this. My goal is to plot the correct route (rediscover or invent the wheel) since there is just nothing but hear say. The route Santjie and I did take was madness and we can be lucky to have made it un injured because we were climbing for hours where one needed safety and specialized equipment to start with. There is a good route and the only way by finding is is to go back and and enter from the top - that way I'll make sure I got it right. It will also be a huge personal achievement. I did not really want to do it alone but I just can't wait any longer for either Santjie or Zach to join me because sometimes we are ready to go and then the weather turn on us. So it is on for Friday and Saturday if all stays the way it is.

Here is a picture of the stuff I am taking along and all that need to be added is my camera and water (3liter with rehidrate mixed) and my 2 way radio which in any way do not have reception most of the way since it is simplex and work only line of sight. No repeters allowed on Gough due to World heritage status.

Goodnight!

PS{ Pardon the bad image quality of a 'moonbow' taken late at night. I was just sleepy and did not pay attention to the settings but you get the idea - it was pitch black dark outside and only the rainbow (more white than colour) was visible to the naked eye. Cameras see much better than we do.

Yeah but you forget, a WOMAN packed these ones so no plastic lining inside I just wrapped the stuff I thought that needed it, in a layer of plastic. And of course now I'm second and third guessing myself

I know it should be fine, but I worry. So don't let anything get submerged, OK?

Tom did you have to do a course to be able to do dental work there or is it part of your medic training?

Hello Chris

It used to be part of our expedition pre deployment training. Let me try and take/upload a phone pic....hope you will be able to see. This course was spesifically tailored for island expedition medics by the SA Navy. No more sadly though....just extrications or pain management now for the new medics. The amazing thing about the patient from Tuesday night is the mood change, no more long face and even eating sweets and drinking cold water etc. So relieved it worked becsuse I was really stressed as it is not easy and I am out of my comfort zone. Zach did mention that he thought I looked rather steady and did good.....little did he know how stressed I was

I started with the rope ladder today and first had to remove nails from a nice plank, then split it with the circular saw and finally cut the spars at 52cm. Got 22 in total and then drilled and sanded and paint. I do unfortunately not have enough varnish so I had to use a white primer. Now just to paint one more coat and then to finish it up sometime next week. I got a call from a concerned friend that came to hear about my planned solo hike to the Glen and was asked to wait for a buddy. Someone that used to be on Gough as well and yes I suppose it makes sense to be more careful as medic and the team rely on me for their medical welbeing. I can be a bit impulsive at times but I got to be more careful. Will however hike up to Goneydale tomorrow and maybe up Southpeak to the Haystack and back. I need some altetude to clear the mind and I need to take pics.

Hells bells - a man of many talents hey. I don't think I'd be able to work on someone's teeth like that!

I had a filling blow out after a deep dive in Madagascar (must have had a air leak under pressure), and took a couple of days to get stopped up temporarily by the local clinic there - I can sympathise with the discomfort that your patient was in.....

Hells bells - a man of many talents hey. I don't think I'd be able to work on someone's teeth like that!

I had a filling blow out after a deep dive in Madagascar (must have had a air leak under pressure), and took a couple of days to get stopped up temporarily by the local clinic there - I can sympathise with the discomfort that your patient was in.....

They're lucky to have you there!

Hi Sam!

You know there is an old saying; 'fake it till you make it' and I am sure I may give any real dentist a big skrik if they see how I 'practice' dentistry but lets be real - this is as remote as it gets and one needs to make plans and expeditions like these are filled with compromises. The positive though, the patient is so chuffed and happy that she wants to make a follow up appointment for another tooth that has been bugging her occasionally but here I will need to draw the line and say not worth taking the risk because if I really happen to stuff up she can loose the tooth. You see I feel 'lucky' when I completed a dental procedure successful but now she thinks I am good just because it worked out and no I am absolutely out of my comfort zone when it comes to dentistry.

Yesterday late afternoon Santjie came back from the mountains on the 'round island trip' with the birders. They were behind still working, and I went down to the brown store to paint.Did not have my radio with me (my bad ) and she came to ask me if I am willing to take charge in making a plan to get the parcels ashore because the ship has arrived and the birders are not here to use absailing gear. The conditions were good and the captain needs to make use of his time wisely because with these guys time is money. I love doing things like this and got to work, got some rope and she followed with the rest of the team. We set up a system where I was in a safety harness to work on the edge and clipped in on a rope and even a 'b-line for added safety. I practised my rope throwing skills and when the little powerboats arrived we got to work. They put all the parcells (one by one) in blue plastic crates and then they pulled back on the rope while we pull up to try and avoid the parcells to drag through the water. Still there is a swell and we got my small bin in the water but lucky Ri's waterproofing skills was spot on! Also someone else parcel in the water but again no water damage.

After having everything ashore we had to carry it to the second ladder and haul it up again and then carried it to the last very high rope ladder and haul for the last time and then carry all the parcels back to base. It was hard work but the team worked like a well oiled machine. Then the birders were back and they had to do 'pest control' on our parcels to check for bugs ad seeds. In the end we all had our parcels at around 20H00 for ourselves and a lot of excitement although I feel very sad for Mel....her parcel did not come ashore and we do not know where the mistake came in but think someone at saws did not deliver the parcel in time...

I got so many nice things from real good quality coffee beans (some team members here loves coffee big time like me) to a couple of 3 liter boxes of red wine and a 5liter beer!! I have seen this before but never up close and I will keep this for special occasions sure thing! Also a couple of chocolates which is always great to have as it gives you instant energy on long and hard hikes. The headlamp Led-Lensor - WOW! Gives the most brilliant white light and can even focus and most important water proof plus a back up energiser. We use headlamps we often, some of us even daily and this is one of the must haves for any expedition with extra batteries. Some bike, Popular mechanics, Entrepreneur magazines and then that 'Apple Mackbook' which I have not yet switched on because I do not want any pressure on me once I start learning how to use it. Looking very much forward to start working on it though especially photo editing. A very fancy case for it (Thule)....hydration bladder which is a huge bonus only in the space it takes vs my 1liter recycled saline bottles I am using.

I am not sure who to thank for the contributions made to all of the above because Ri did not tell me who contributed yet but at least I know I can start by thanking her for the initiative. She should just (Please Ri) sent me the bill of the difference in order for me to settle asap! Sorry for a lack of words or let me rephrase by saying words can not justify the real appreciation I feel for everyone that did contribute. My birthday is still a bit far off (5 April) and I am spoiled rotten to have received such a big present early from Wild Dog friends and best of all - I did not even met 95% of you ever in person but I hope to change that when I get back!

Thanks again Ri and WD Friends!!

We are now at a new internet service provider (Since Thursday) but I do not really note a big difference. Yes I got the page open but yesterday I could not make a post in good weather conditions. We were reminded that it is a shared 1mb line but still why did it work better for a few months? Hope that they can solve this with the correct lining up of the satellite dish later the year during takeover if that is the real issue. Herewith a couple of cellphone pics of yesterday (Vukile gave his phone for Santjie to take some pics while we were busy) but you will get the idea although we are much further away from the water as it appear as for in higher. Hope to update with some other pics of my recent quick trip up to Goneydale.

Herewith a few pictures of Fridays quick Goneydale visit.....never thought I would be fit enough to 'quickly hike up this mountain but yes I can do it now on a good day in 2 hours from base to the container. Coming down is not faster because it is hard on the knees, and sometimes takes me much longer!

The Yellow Gough Bunting is still young Juveniles and the Green is an old female.